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If the Initiative is adopted, it would be advisable to designate the ridges to which the 100 <br />vertical foot restriction would apply, and it may be necessary, from time to time, to <br />review a proposed development in light of the Initiative's intent rather than a literal <br />application of its terms. <br />Another option would be to identify an elevation line above which development would <br />not be permitted to occur. This is the approach taken in the Pleasanton Ridge area along <br />Foothill Road where the 670 ft. elevation line is the limit to development. However, <br />there is less rationale for using this approach in the Southeast Hills due to its complex <br />topography; structures above a certain elevation may not be visible in some cases and <br />structures below that elevation line may be visible in other areas. Therefore, acase-by- <br />case approach would better accomplish the Initiative's intent of creating development <br />that is not visible from off site and/or that has a backdrop. <br />5.10 Define Structure <br />The City's current General Plan does not include a definition of the word "structure". <br />The Zoning Ordinance defines "structure" as "anything constructed or erected which <br />requires a location on the ground, including a building or a swimming pool, but not <br />including a fence or a wall used as a fence if the height does not exceed six feet, or access <br />drives or walks."29 And, the Municipal Code adopts the California Building Code (CBC) <br />by reference, which defines a structure as "that which is built or constructed." <br />5.11 If a project were to be reduced to less than 10 units, can houses be built on <br />ridge tops? <br />Although projects of 10 or fewer units are exempt from Policy 12.3 of the Initiative, the <br />practical answer to this question is no, in light that all developments would be subject to <br />the City's development review process that would likely not approve a house on a ridge <br />top. <br />5.12 How should residential density be calculated? <br />The question of how residential density should be calculated was previously discussed at <br />a General Plan Land Use Workshop in March 2006, when the undeveloped properties on <br />the west side of Pleasanton were considered. At that time, the City Council directed that <br />land having slopes over 25% already designated on the General Plan Map as Residential <br />continue to be included in a property's "gross developable acres" and land with slopes <br />over 25% not be excluded from the calculation of residential density. "Gross developable <br />acres" is the amount of land on which the maximum allowable number of dwelling units <br />for a parcel is based. However, regardless of the maximum residential density calculated <br />under the General Plan for any given parcel, the City Council, through the PUD <br />development process, determines the appropriate (usually lower) number of units for that <br />property. <br />iv See Municipal Code §18.08.535. <br />16 <br />